One of the quickest ways to improve your Facebook ads is to look at what other businesses in your market are running. Which offers are they pushing? What do their videos look like? How long have certain ads been live? Which angles do they all use, and which has nobody tried?
Meta makes this possible with a free public tool called the Meta Ad Library. It lists the ads currently running across Facebook, Instagram and other Meta platforms, and anyone can search it without an account. For a small business, it is a free research tool that would otherwise cost a great deal to replicate.
This guide shows how to use the Meta Ad Library to find competitor ads, what you can and cannot see, how to tell which ads are probably working, a simple process for turning what you find into better ads of your own and how to do it ethically without copying. Interface details change, so use this as a guide to the approach.
What is the Meta Ad Library?
The Meta Ad Library is a searchable public database of ads running on Meta’s platforms. Meta created it for transparency, so people can see who is advertising and what they are saying. Every active ad is generally listed, whether it is from a global brand or a local plumber.
It is separate from your own Ads Manager. You do not need to run ads to use it, and you do not need to be logged in for basic searches, though you can use it while logged in.
What you can see
For each ad, the library typically shows:
- The ad creative: the image, video or carousel and the text.
- The advertiser: the Page that is running it.
- Status: whether it is active or inactive.
- The date it started running.
- The platforms where it runs: Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and so on.
- Multiple versions: whether several variations of the ad are running under the same campaign.
- The destination: the link or call to action, which often reveals the landing page.
For some regions and categories, such as ads about social issues, elections or politics, and ads shown in certain regions with additional transparency rules, more details such as spend ranges and audience information may be available.
What you cannot see
It is important to be realistic:
- How much a competitor spends on an ordinary commercial ad, in most cases.
- How well an ad performs: no leads, sales, click-through rates or return on ad spend.
- Exact targeting settings for ordinary ads.
- Their results, margins or customer numbers.
Because of this, the library tells you what competitors are running, not what is working. You have to infer success from clues, covered below.
How to search the Meta Ad Library: step by step
The process is simple, though the screens change from time to time.
- Open the Ad Library. Search for “Meta Ad Library”, or go to Meta’s ad transparency pages.
- Choose the country. Pick the country where your competitors advertise, such as the United States.
- Choose the ad category. For normal commercial ads, select the all ads option.
- Search by advertiser or keyword. Enter a competitor’s business name to see all their ads, or a keyword such as “roof inspection” or “dental implants” to see ads in your niche.
- Use filters. Narrow by platform, language, media type such as image or video, active status and date.
- Open individual ads. Click an ad to see its details, including when it started and where it runs.
- Save examples. Take screenshots or keep notes of ads worth studying, along with the link.
Searching by keyword is especially useful when you do not know who your competitors are, because it reveals every advertiser using that language.
How to spot ads that are probably working
Since performance data is hidden, you have to read the signs. These are clues, not proof.
Long run time
Advertisers generally stop ads that lose money. An ad that has been running for many weeks or months has probably been profitable enough to keep. Check the start date.
Multiple versions
When an advertiser runs many variations of the same concept, it often means that concept is worth building on. A cluster of similar ads with different hooks suggests a winning angle.
Repetition across competitors
If several businesses in your niche run similar offers or angles, that pattern probably reflects what works in the market.
Ads that stay while others come and go
Compare an advertiser’s older, still-running ads with the ones that come and go. The survivors are the more likely winners.
Heavy investment in one format
A competitor who produces lots of video, or lots of testimonial ads, probably found that format pays.
Remember that a long-running ad may simply be one nobody remembered to switch off, so look for several signals together.
What to look for in competitor ads
Use a structured approach instead of scrolling randomly. For each ad worth studying, note:
- The offer: what are they giving people? A free estimate, a discount, a bundle, a guide?
- The hook: how does the ad open, in the first line of text or the first second of video?
- The angle: which problem, desire or fear are they speaking to?
- The format: static image, video, carousel, testimonial, behind-the-scenes?
- The proof: reviews, results, credentials, before-and-after images?
- The call to action: what button and wording do they use?
- The destination: a landing page, a form, a call? Click through to see the page.
- The length and style of the copy: short and punchy or detailed?
Also look for gaps. If every competitor uses the same stock-photo style and the same “free quote” offer, you have an opportunity to stand out with real photos and a more specific offer.
Build a simple swipe file
A swipe file is a collection of ads that inspire you. A spreadsheet works well.
| Column | What to record |
|---|---|
| Advertiser | Business name |
| Link or screenshot | Where to find the ad |
| Start date | How long it has been running |
| Offer | What they are offering |
| Hook | The opening line or visual |
| Angle | Problem or desire addressed |
| Format | Image, video, carousel |
| What works about it | Your notes |
| Idea for us | How you would adapt the concept |
Review your swipe file before planning new creative. Patterns will emerge quickly.
How to turn research into better ads
Research is only useful if it changes what you do.
- Find the common offers. Decide whether to match them, improve on them or differentiate.
- Identify the angles nobody is using. Test one of them.
- Borrow the structure, not the content. If a testimonial-led video works for competitors, create your own with your real customers.
- Improve on weak spots. If competitors’ landing pages are slow or generic, build a better one.
- Test before committing. An idea that works for someone else may not work for you. Run it as a test, and judge by your own numbers. Our guide on how to test Facebook ads shows how.
- Revisit regularly. Competitor ads change, so check monthly or whenever you plan new creative.
Because delivery now leans on creative, genuinely different angles matter more than ever. See Meta Andromeda explained.
Use it ethically and legally
Looking at public ads is fine. Copying them is not.
- Do not copy ads word for word or reuse competitors’ images and videos. That risks copyright and trademark problems, damages your reputation and rarely works, because the context differs.
- Do not copy testimonials, reviews or results. Use only your own, with permission.
- Do not imitate branding in a way that could confuse customers.
- Do not make claims you cannot support just because a competitor does.
- Follow Meta’s advertising policies in your own ads.
The goal is to learn what the market responds to and then create something distinctively yours.
Use the Ad Library on yourself too
It is worth searching for your own business. You can check how your ads appear publicly, confirm that the right ones are live and see what a competitor sees when they look at you. It is also a good way to check that old or outdated ads are not still running. Our guide to Facebook dark posts explains why ads that are not on your Page are still visible here.
Other ways to research competitors
The Ad Library is only one source. You can also:
- Follow competitors’ Pages and Instagram accounts to see organic content and how people engage.
- Click their ads to examine landing pages, offers and follow-up emails or messages. Be aware that this may cause you to see more of their ads and may cost them a small amount, so use judgement.
- Read their reviews, on Google and Facebook, to learn what customers love and complain about. This often reveals angles competitors have missed.
- Search Google for their service pages and see what they emphasise.
Together, these give a fuller picture than ad creative alone.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming every ad you see is working. Look for signals, not just presence.
- Copying instead of learning. Borrow principles, not assets.
- Looking at too few competitors. Check several, including ones outside your immediate area.
- Ignoring the landing page. The ad is only half the picture.
- Doing research once. Markets change.
- Skipping testing. Always test ideas with your own audience.
- Not recording findings. A swipe file turns browsing into a resource. More in Facebook ad mistakes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Meta Ad Library?
It is a free public database of ads running on Facebook, Instagram and other Meta platforms. Anyone can search it to see which businesses are advertising and what their ads look like.
Can I see how much a competitor spends on Facebook ads?
Generally no, for ordinary commercial ads. Spend ranges are shown mainly for certain categories, such as political and social issue ads, and in some regions with extra transparency rules.
How do I know which competitor ads are working?
Look for signals such as a long run time, multiple versions of the same concept and similar angles used by several advertisers. These suggest success but do not prove it.
Do I need a Facebook account to use the Ad Library?
Basic searches are generally available without logging in, although features can change.
Is it legal to look at competitor ads?
Yes, the Ad Library is public. Copying their content is different, and can raise copyright and trademark issues.
Can competitors see my ads in the Ad Library?
Yes. Your active ads are generally visible in the same way, so make sure they reflect your business well.
How often should I check competitor ads?
Monthly, or whenever you plan a new campaign or creative round.
Final thoughts
The Meta Ad Library puts competitor research within reach of any business. Search your niche, look for long-running ads and repeated angles, record what you see in a swipe file and use it to shape original tests of your own. Study the offers, hooks and formats, find the gaps and then build something distinctly yours.
Cyborg Media Tech is a Meta ads agency for business owners across many niches. If you would like help turning competitor research into winning ad concepts, request a free review.